Archive for the 'Products' Category

There are many ways to deploy Crystal Reports to users. I normally lean toward the simpler and less expensive options, like locally installed viewers, or scheduled delivery of PDF output. But there are environments where a web based option is necessary. The “official” options from SAP are Crystal (Reports) Server and BO Enterprise. But there are other, less expensive products out there that also web delivery of Crystal Reports. These third party products allow your users to run and view reports from a browser. You can also centrally manage your report deployment from a browser.

I have created a page on my blog that lists and compares these products, and I update it every January. This year the list features 10 products, three of which are being listed for the first time:

The blog page mentioned above contains a brief rundown on what each product does and provides links to all of the product web sites. I have also posted a feature matrix (PDF) that shows some of the specifics for comparison, including prices. This year there are several new lines in the matrix. They show which tools provide workflow/BPA support, Web APIs, password management and menu localization. If you have any feedback to share on these tools I would be happy to hear from you.

ChristianSteven Software has released a new web portal product in 2016 called IntelliFront BI. It can run Crystal Reports, SSRS Reports and MS Power BI dashboards. It also allows you to create and run proprietary KPI reports and scorecards.

As a web portal, it allows users to run reports on demand. But it can also run them automatically, either on a fixed schedule or based on data driven events. This allows you to automate business processes and workflows.

It even includes a web service API for integration with other tools and systems. The license is $50,000 which includes unlimited users, unlimited servers and unlimited cores. They offer a free live demo for those who are interested.

ReCrystalize has just released a simple web portal called ReCrystalize Server. It allows you to make your Crystal Reports available on an IIS server. Users can browse the reports which are stored in folders. They can then open and refresh the reports through their browser. ReCrystalize Server will prompt the users for any necessary parameters, or you can set up links to run reports with fixed parameters embedded within the URL.

It is time for my annual comparison of formula function libraries. If you aren’t familiar with User Function Libraries (or UFLs) they are DLL files that add new formula functions to your Crystal Reports formula editor. With these functions your formulas can do some pretty amazing things like:

1) Carry values from today’s report to tomorrow’s report
2) Carry values from one report to another.
3) Append lines of text to an external text file.
4) Automatically copy a value to the clipboard.
5) Check the user name of the user running the report.
6) See if a file or folder exists (on your network or on the internet).
7) Rename/copy/delete a file on your hard drive or network drive.
8) Launch an application or run a batch file.
9) Execute a SQL statement (Select/Insert/Delete).
10) Send an Email using information in the report.
11) Create a table of contents or an index for your report.
12) Calculate distances between zip codes or long./lat. coordinates.

If this sounds interesting you can read my complete comparison including a list of all the functions provided by each DLL. The five UFL providers are:

You can click here to purchase the entire bundle for $495 (a savings of 43%). Of course there isn’t much to be done with one NUL of CR server, and I don’t use Excelsius myself. But if you were planning to use these products this is an inexpensive way to get them.

And if these links or promo code stop working, I would call the SAP Sales number and ask for the discounts. It never hurts to ask.

Supporting multiple languages in Crystal Reports just became much easier. Ido Millet of Millet Software has added a new translation feature to DataLink Viewer. This allows reports to automatically translate all static text objects from one language to another. The feature taps into Google Translate, so it supports any of the 100 or so languages that Google supports. Automated translation is not perfect, but I have found that Google Translate is amazingly accurate for an automated tool, and is getting better all the time.

To take advantage of this feature the report has to be run with web access. It also needs a Google account and a Google API key. The Google API key is not free but it is only $20 for 1 million translated characters. (DLV only translates each text object once per report, even if it appears on multiple pages.)

If you want to translate the dynamic content of your reports (fields and formulas) then you can add Millet Software’s CUT Light dll to your environment. This adds a formula function that can pass text from fields and formulas to the same API for translation.

You use Crystal Reports to create, change and run reports. But what if you have users who just need to refresh/view/print/export? Do they need copies of Crystal Reports? Do you need to configure an expensive web server?

The most cost effective method for letting a user run reports is to install a third-party client-based viewer. They are offered by a dozen different vendors. Don’t get sidetracked by the “viewer” that is put out by SAP because that tool won’t refresh reports. Every viewer in my list allows you to refresh reports.

Every September I compare the features of these viewers and post the results. The comparison page provides a brief introduction to each product including what sets it apart. There is also a detailed feature matrix (PDF) that shows some of the specifics for comparison, like prices. I have even included a glossary of features in case you aren’t familiar with the terminology.

This year there are 12 vendors in the review but one of them is only listed as a warning (EasyStreet Software). The web site is still there so I keep including them, but I am not sure if the purchases pages work. Customers haven’t heard from them in several years and the Better Business Bureau has given them a “D-” rating for not responding to complaints.

I have just updated my comparison of RPT management utilities for 2016. These are tools that allow you to scan, document, compare and in some cases batch update RPT files. The list now includes 8 tools:

Report Runner Documentor by Jeff-Net
R-Tag Documentation and Search by R-Tag
R-Tag Version Control by R-Tag
Report Miner by the Retsel Group
Code Search Professional by Find it EZ Software Corp.
Dev Surge Enterprise by Find it EZ Software Corp.
Report Analyzer by Cortex Systems
.rpt Inspector 3 Professional Suite by Software Forces, LLC

Something has changed at SAP. In the past it was rare that I heard them mention third party products. Now they are openly promoting them on their web site through the SAP Analytics Extension Directory. It is great to see them embracing the rich ecosystem that makes Crystal Reports so powerful. So, if you are a Crystal user or a Crystal-related vendor you might want check it out. It lists all sorts of add-on tools for the entire SAP product line, including Crystal Reports, and it even allows users to rate the tools. The Crystal selection is still small, but it should eventually be a nice compliment to my Product Links page and annual comparisons.

The real surprise was when someone from SAP asked me to list my formulas page in the directory. I declined once because it required a partnership agreement with SAP (lots of fine print). But then they changed it to a simpler “vendor agreement”. So I went through the process this week to list that one page. It is currently the only free extension listed for Crystal Reports.

So if you are a vendor you should consider submitting your product. I found the process relatively painless.